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Introduction
In a world dominated by digital networks and social media, social recruiting by Leads4Talent is transforming how companies attract talent. But how exactly does social recruiting increase the number of applications? This post explores how companies can benefit from an expanded pool of applicants by adapting their strategies to the modern digital landscape.
The types of candidates: Active, latent and passive
Traditionally, recruitment strategies mainly targeted actively searching candidates, who make up about 15-20% of potential candidates. But what about latent seekers (30-50%) and passive seekers (20-30%)? These candidates, who may not be actively looking for a new position but are open to change, often go unnoticed.
The limits of traditional job boards
Online Job boards and portals have been the go-to place for job searches, but now show significant weaknesses: They primarily reach actively searching candidates, just a fraction of the entire talent market, leaving out latent and passive seekers. Additionally, the processes on these platforms often seem outdated and inflexible, making talent acquisition a tedious affair for both sides.
The three phases of the candidate journey
Social recruiting has the great advantage of being able to reach the entire spectrum of candidates (active, latent, passive), as well as covering all phases of the candidate journey. These phases can be divided into three simple stages: awareness, consideration and decision.
- Awareness: In this phase, the candidate becomes aware of your company. Social recruiting opens up new ways to effectively present the company profile by telling stories that position the company as an attractive employer.
- Consideration: Here, the candidate considers whether your company might be a potential employer. Through targeted content marketing and interactive campaigns on social networks, companies can actively influence candidates' perception and interest.
- Decision: In this phase, the candidate applies and becomes an applicant. While traditional job postings on job boards often come into play only at this stage, social recruiting has already had a comprehensive impact on the preceding stages.
Covering the entire candidate journey with social recruiting
Social recruiting enables companies to engage with potential candidates throughout all three phases of their journey. This approach allows for a more significant impact on the candidate's decision-making process by increasing interactions with the target group at each stage. Typically, candidates who respond to job board ads are already in the decision phase or nearing the end of the consideration phase, meaning a substantial part of their decision has been formed, often without any direct influence from the company.
In contrast, social recruiting facilitates engagement with candidates from the very beginning of their journey. By being present in the awareness and consideration phases, your company can effectively convey compelling reasons for candidates to consider and ultimately choose your organisation. This strategy not only guides the decision-making process but also broadens the scope of interaction, expanding your reach to a wider pool of potential talent.
Social media's powerful reach
Social recruiting takes place through media like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest and similar social networks, which have a strong user base. Comparing the user numbers of social networks (e.g., Facebook) with those of online job boards, you'll see significant differences.
For example, in the UK, about 53 million people use Facebook monthly, with 72% active daily. In contrast, Indeed reaches about 4 million. In the USA, the picture is similar: Facebook has 229 million monthly users, while Indeed and ZipRecruiter combined have about 20 million users, far behind. These numbers impressively illustrate how social recruiting accesses a much larger and more diverse talent pool than traditional job boards.
Of course, not all users on social media are latently or passively seeking new opportunities, but utilising social recruiting can significantly expand your pool of potential candidates. When executed correctly, you can considerably increase the number of applications received. Some may wonder if these applications are of good quality? While that's a great topic for another blog post, we can assure you that the online application process is designed to filter out unqualified applications, ensuring you receive high-quality candidates.
Final thoughts
Integrating social recruiting into the personnel strategy, as we do at Leads4Talent, means opening up to a broader, more diversified group of potential candidates while simultaneously strengthening brand presence. In an era where social media occupies a large part of our everyday lives, it's essential for companies to adapt to these channels to effectively address and win over talent. Social recruiting is therefore not just an alternative, but an indispensable strategy in modern talent acquisition.
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